What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningNiacinamide
Smoothing
Glycerin
Humectant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Bakuchiol
Antimicrobial
Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract
Bleaching
Hibiscus Sabdariffa Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningBeta Vulgaris Root Powder
Antioxidant
Persea Gratissima Fruit Extract
EmollientOryza Sativa Bran Oil
Emollient
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Inositol
Humectant
Betaine
Humectant
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Hydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingPolysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Ruscogenin
Skin ConditioningNeoruscogenin
Skin ConditioningEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningTetrasodium EDTA
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Water, Niacinamide, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Bakuchiol, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Hibiscus Sabdariffa Flower Extract, Beta Vulgaris Root Powder, Persea Gratissima Fruit Extract, Oryza Sativa Bran Oil, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Inositol, Betaine, Phenoxyethanol, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Polysorbate 20, Ruscogenin, Neoruscogenin, Ethylhexylglycerin, Tetrasodium EDTA, Sodium Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
C9-12 Alkane
SolventCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Pentaerythrityl Tetracaprylate/Tetracaprate
EmollientBakuchiol
Antimicrobial
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Tocopheryl Glucoside
EmollientAcacia Senegal Gum
MaskingButylene Glycol
Humectant
Citric Acid
Buffering
Coco-Caprylate/Caprate
Emollient
Glyceryl Behenate
Emollient
Glyceryl Dibehenate
Emollient
Sodium Dilauramidoglutamide Lysine
HumectantTribehenin
Emollient
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingWater, Glycerin, Niacinamide, Pentylene Glycol, C9-12 Alkane, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Pentaerythrityl Tetracaprylate/Tetracaprate, Bakuchiol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Tocopheryl Glucoside, Acacia Senegal Gum, Butylene Glycol, Citric Acid, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Glyceryl Behenate, Glyceryl Dibehenate, Sodium Dilauramidoglutamide Lysine, Tribehenin, Xanthan Gum
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Bakuchiol is a plant-derived antioxidant from the seeds of the Psoralea corylifolia plant. It has antimicrobial, emollient, skin conditioning, and antioxidant properties.
You'll likely see it called a "retinol replacement" but the two are technically not related. This is because bakuchiol is able to flip many of the same switches in your skin cells to tell them to:
1) produce more collagen (type I, III, and IV)
2) activate the same genes retinoids do
Unlike retinoids, this ingredient will not increase photosensitivity and is safe to use during pregnancy (but please still check in with your doctor!).
The flagship clinical trial from Dhaliwal et al. 2019 found 0.5% bakuchiol (twice daily) and 0.5% retinol (once daily) reduced wrinkles and hyperpigmentation equally, but bakuchiol had significantly less irritation.
Systematic reviews also back this up:
Bakuchiol is comparable to retinol for photoaging but with better tolerability. It also has mild antibacterial properties against Cutibacterium acnes and antifungal activity in vitro against Candida and dermatophytes.
The reason bakuchiol works well is due to its structure; it is a meroterpene phenol, or a hybrid molecule. The phenol half acts as an antioxidant while the terpene half is fat-loving. This helps the molecule slip through the skin barrier.
This ingredient is usually used between 0.5-2%. Only one case of contact dermatitis has ever been reported for this ingredient.
Learn more about BakuchiolButylene Glycol (or BG) is used within cosmetic products for a few different reasons:
Overall, Butylene Glycol is a safe and well-rounded ingredient that works well with other ingredients.
Though this ingredient works well with most skin types, some people with sensitive skin may experience a reaction such as allergic rashes, closed comedones, or itchiness.
Learn more about Butylene GlycolGlycerin (or glycerol) is a compound naturally found in your skin. It's a powerhouse humectant that pulls water into the stratum corneum.
Topically, glycerin does several things at once:
Your skin makes glycerin on its own (mostly from sebaceous oil breakdown) and shuttles it to your outermost layer of skin, or your epidermis, via aquaporin-3.
Aquaporin-3 is a transporter that is essential for normal skin hydration, elasticity, and repair. Interestingly, mice lacking in AQP3 have dry and less elastic skin that can be fully corrected with glycerin.
This ingredient is non-irritating, plays well with almost every ingredient, and works across all skin types. Typical use is anywhere between 3-10% but can go up to 79% in some leave-on products.
Just know very high concentrations (>40%) can feel tacky in low humidity.
Glycerin is the name for this ingredient in American English. British English uses Glycerol/Glycerine.
Learn more about GlycerinNiacinamide is a multitasking form of vitamin B3 that strengthens the skin barrier, reduces pores and dark spots, regulates oil, and improves signs of aging.
And the best part? It's gentle and well-tolerated by most skin types, including sensitive and reactive skin.
You might have heard of "niacin flush", or the reddening of skin that causes itchiness. Niacinamide has not been found to cause this.
In very rare cases, some individuals may not be able to tolerate niacinamide at all or experience an allergic reaction to it.
If you are experiencing flaking, irritation, and dryness with this ingredient, be sure to double check all your products as this ingredient can be found in all categories of skincare.
When incorporating niacinamide into your routine, look out for concentration amounts. Typically, 5% niacinamide provides benefits such as fading dark spots. However, if you have sensitive skin, it is better to begin with a smaller concentration.
When you apply niacinamide to your skin, your body converts it into nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD). NAD is an essential coenzyme that is already found in your cells as "fuel" and powers countless biological processes.
In your skin, NAD helps repair cell damage, produce new healthy cells, support collagen production, strengthen the skin barrier, and fight environmental stressors (like UV and pollution).
Our natural NAD levels start to decline with age, leading to slower skin repair, visible aging, and a weaker skin barrier. By providing your skin niacinamide, you're recharging your skin's NAD levels. This leads to stronger, healthier, and younger looking skin.
Another name for vitamin B3 is nicotinamide. This vitamin is water-soluble and our bodies don't store it. We obtain Vitamin B3 from either food or skincare. Meat, fish, wheat, yeast, and leafy greens contain vitamin B3.
The type of niacinamide used in skincare is synthetically created.
Learn more about NiacinamideSodium Hyaluronate is the salt form of hyaluronic acid. It is a long sugar chain that is naturally found in your skin, joints, and connective tissue that maintains hydration and elasticity.
In skincare, it works as a humectant. It pulls water from the environment and deeper layers of skin and binds it to the surface.
Interestingly, the size of the molecule affects its behavior:
Some clinical evidence links low molecular weight versions to improved wrinkle depth, elasticity, anti-inflammatory effects, and barrier repair.
Many serums use a blend of both weights so you can get surface hydration plus longer-lasting and deeper effects.
You'll typically see concentrations between 0.1-2% for this ingredient.
Learn more about Sodium HyaluronateWater. It's the most common cosmetic ingredient of all. You'll usually see it at the top of ingredient lists, meaning that it makes up the largest part of the product.
So why is it so popular? Water most often acts as a solvent - this means that it helps dissolve other ingredients into the formulation.
You'll also recognize water as that liquid we all need to stay alive. If you see this, drink a glass of water. Remember to stay hydrated!
Learn more about Water
